Why is it called Kinnick Stadium?
Posted on Mar 14, 2026 / Travel
The stadium is named after Nile Kinnick, one of the most legendary athletes in University of Iowa history. Kinnick was a star football player who won the Heisman Trophy in 1939 as the best player in college football. After graduating, he joined the U.S. Navy during World War II. Sadly, he died in 1943 when the aircraft he was piloting crashed during a training mission. In 1972 the university officially renamed Iowa Stadium to Kinnick Stadium to honor his legacy. He is the only Heisman Trophy winner to have a major college football stadium named after him. Today his story is still an important part of Iowa football tradition.
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